Dear Editor,
This year will be my 5th NF Coast to the Cure Bike Ride. I started riding for NF when my friend Scott Seeley asked me to join him in supporting his friend whose daughter has the disease. I had no idea what NF was, so I did some research on the Internet and was immediately committed to get as many friends as possible to ride with me and raise money for the cause.
I ride because it’s my way of giving thanks that I have been immensely blessed to be afflicted with only bad knees, a bad back and migraines so I have no idea what living with a debilitating disease/injury is like. I ride because I do not have the means to write a big check every year to support charity work, so I give my time and fundraising skills. I ride for several other charities during the year, but the Coast to the Cure is by far my favorite. It is my last century ride every year and I have come to know more about several of the folks who I see on the ride every year. It’s also special because, in 2013, it was the first century ride that my wife did and since then we have been riding several century rides together!
I can only hope and pray that someday a cure will be found for NF. Until that day comes, I will continue to ride in support of my friends who have the disease or are experiencing the agony of supporting a loved one through it or are trying to get us closer to a cure! This year I hope to show up for the ride with a much bigger team than last year!
Starting and finishing at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, cyclists can opt for one of three routes of varying lengths: 24, 66 and 100 miles. All routes travel along Cape Ann’s shores and through Manchester-By-The-Sea, Beverly, Hamilton and Ipswich. Proceeds from the bike ride benefit Neurofibromatosis Northeast. The Mission of Neurofibromatosis Northeast is to find a treatment and the cure for neurofibromatosis by promoting scientific research, creating awareness, and supporting those who are affected by NF.
Neurofibromatosis (NF) involves the uncontrolled growth of tumors along the nervous system and is a highly variable and progressive disorder. NF is not rare, it affects three times as many people as Cystic Fibrosis and Muscular Dystrophy combined. While not all NF patients suffer from the most severe symptoms, all NF patients and their families live with the uncertainty of not knowing whether they will be seriously affected one day.
Funds raised from the bike ride will make it possible for us to invest much needed resources in groundbreaking research into NF. In addition, proceeds will make it possible for NF Northeast to help the many families dealing with neurofibromatosis by providing information and support.
To learn more about the bike ride, click HERE.
To donate, click HERE.
Sincerely,
Wilston Johnston
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